Delhi

Vineet was sitting in Karan's cafeteria. He had a letter in his hands. He started reading it..

"bahut yaad aati hai tumhari.. kuch acha hi nahi lagta hai yahan... apne toh hai par sab paraye hai.. kehte hai 2-4 din ke liye aayi hun mehmaan banke toh mehmaan banke hi raho. Kabhi nahi socha tha hamare bete hume ye din bhi dhikhayenge Vineet. Tum nahi ho saath jiske kandhe pe main sar rakhke roh sakun.. lekin tumhari tasveer se sab baatein kar leti hun. Abhi toh bas ek mahina guazara hai tumhare bina na jaane yeh paanch mahine kaise guzrenge. Mehman lambe samay ek jagah nahi raha karte Vineet, aur abhi toh bahut waqt hai. "

He got emotional reading it, Nandini saw him. She called Karan.

"kya hua?" he asked.

"Are dekho na.. udhar" Nandini said.

Karan looked, they moved to him. Karan asked "mota bhai aap thik hai?"

Vineet looked at him and nodded in yes "haan.. wo bas Ruhana ka letter aaya tha.. wahi padh raha tha emotional kar deti hai.."

"bhabhiji ka letter.. aapko unki yaad aa rahi hai?" Nandini asked.

"hmm.. zindagi mein pehli baar usse alag hua hun" he replied.

Karan said jokingly "Nandini lagta hai hamare mota bhai bhabhiji se bahut pyar karte hai.. apni kitaab hi chaap denge unki tareef mein.." he said.

Nandini eyed him "idea acha hai.."

Some kids who heard Karan cae there and said "haan uncle... aapko likhna chahiye, aapki life ke baare mein.. aapke struggle aur about your wife.."

"nahi.. mujhse nahi hoga.." he replied.

"Are mota bhai.. likho na itna sab kah rahe hai toh maan bhi jao.." Karan said.

"Sochunga iss baare mein.." he replied.

"Acha.. chaliye khana kha lijiye" Nandini said.

He nodded and they had the lunch.

Pune

Ruhana moved into Mishti's room. She looked at the mess and arranged it. A smile came on her face.

Mishti entered inside asked "aap mere room mein kya kar rahi hai?"

"wo kuch kaam nahi tha socha tumhare kamre mein hi aake dekh lun.. aur mess thi bahut arrange kar diya sab" she replied.

Mishti sighed and shouted "maine kitni baar kaha hai ki mere room mein mat aaya kijiye meri permission ke bina kuch privacy naam ki bhi cheez hoti hai..."

Mithi came in hearing her and said "Mishti kyun chila rahi ho?"

"mujhe kehne ke bajaye inhe kahiye Mom aapse kaha tha maine mujhe mere room mein koi nahi chahiye" Mishti said and left the house taking her things.

Mithi looked at Ruhana and said "Mummyji, aapse kaha tha maine meri beti ki life mein zyada interfere mat kijiye aap aap please uske room mein mat aaya karo"

"thik hai.." she said and left the place.

US

Aarav was standing at the balcony and staring at the dark sky. He seemed to be lost somewhere. Manvi came there, she hugged him from behind and asked "kya kar rahe ho yahan itni raat ko?"

"Manvi kuch acha nhi lag raha hai mujhe jaise koi apna kisi takleef mein aisa mehsus hota hai har samay" he replied.

She turned him and asked "Acha? Lekin tumne toh papa se baat ki na?"

"Manvi ek hafte pehle ki thi uske baad kisine mera phone nahi uthaya" he replied.

Manvi thought for while, "tum kaho toh main India jau?"

"nahi.. maa ne kaha tha ki saath hi aana ghar ek baar bas Maa se baat ho jaye lekin unse baat hi nahi ho paati meri" he replied dejectedly.

"pareshan mat ho. Tumne hi toh kaha tha na wo dono saath honge toh koi pareshani nhi hogi" she said.

He shook his head "haan.. wo toh hai pata hai ek bhi second ek dusre ke bina nahi rah sakte wo.. ek baar bachpan mein papa mere kaam se kahi jaa rahe they toh maa bhi saath aayi thi.. kuch 2 din ki baat thi" he said, a smile appeared on his lips.

She smiled and was staring at him, he was continuously speaking about his foster parents. He noticed her glance and asked "Aise kya dekh rahi ho?"

"jab tum unki baat karte ho na tumhare chahre pe jo glow aata hai wo dekh rahi hun.." she replied.

He smiled and said "tumhe bore karta hun na?"

"nahi bilkul nahi.. agar tum baat nahi karte toh main samjhti tumhe unki kadar nahi hai" she replied.

"are kaise nahi hoti? Papa ke upar mahesh bhai, Deep bhai ki zimedari thi phir bhi mujhe adopt kiya mujhe padhaya iss kaabil banaya ki main tumhare saamne khada ho sakun.. bahut kuch kiya hai unhone mere liye main kabhi nahi bhool sakta Manvi.. ek baar main school se late hua toh papa ne bahut daant lagayi.. phone nahi kiya tha na maine.. aur wahi daant mujhe pasand thi unki.." he replied.

"aur maa.. unhone mujhe apne beto se zyada pyar kiya.. wo samajh jaati thi mujhe kya chahiye mere bin kahe aur agle din wo cheez mere paas hoti thi.. fir mujhe scholarship mili main yahan aa gaya aur itne saal ho gaye main wo sab pal waapas jeena chahta hun unke paas unke saath rehkar" he said.

He looked at her who was silently listening to all this, he said "Sorry..."

"nahi... kehte raho atleast koi baat toh tum itni excitment aur chaav se kehte ho warna subah se shaam apne office mein busy rehte ho kaam ki tension and all.." she replied..

He smiled.. and said "Manvi.. bas kuch mahine manage karlo.."

"kar lungi baba.. mujhe pata hai you are desperately waiting to go back to India.." she replied holding his hand.

"acha kal Sunday hai kal ka kya plan hai?" she asked.

He kept his hand on her shoulders and said "kal pura din tumhara no kaam.. hum bahar jayenge shopping karenge movie dekenge aur raat ko thoda bahut romance.."

She smiled.. "ye sab tab hoga jab aap sone jayenge Mr. Aarav Raichand.." she said.

"toh chalo.. kabse baatein kar rahi ho" he said innocently.

She looked at him with open mouth "baatein tum kar rahe they.. not fair dekhna kaise complaint karti hun main maa se. Fir wo dant lagayengi tumhe."

"main tumhe mauka hi nahi dunga.." he said winking at her and left to the room.

Manvi smiled...

Pune, India

Ruhana was sitting on the couch and seemed to be waiting for something.

Mithi asked "mummyji kuch chahiye aapko?"

She denied "nahi kuch nahi.."

The door bell rang, Mithi moved but Ruhana stopped her "Mithi tum kaam karo main dekhti hun" she said and stood up.

She rushed to the door and opened it, the postman was there with a letter. She took it and closed the door.

She went to the room and opened the letter.

"kaisi ho Ruhana? Ye kaisa sawal kar raha hun main.. mujhe pata hai mere bina tumhe kuch acha nahi lag raha hai waha.. yahan bhi aisa hi haal hai par pata hai yahan kuch naye dost mile hai unke saath waqt guzar leta hun jab bhi mann udaas hota hai tumse bichadne ke ghum ka, fir shaam hoti hai toh ghar jaana padta hai lekin kadam ruk jaate hai.. Mann hi nahi karta uss ghar jaane ka. Ghar wo hota jahan dil ho aur mera dil toh mujhse meelon door hai. Phir bhi chale jaata hun ye sochke kisi din wapas lautenge hum.. Apne ghar. Are haan tumhara beta bahut pareshan ho raha tha hume leke, maine usse kaha hai ki hum yahan thik hai tum saath ho mere kya karun usko ye baat nahi bata sakta main. sab chod chadke aa jayega yahan aur main nahi chahta wo Manvi ko chodke yahan aaye.. tumse baat karna chah raha tha kaise bulata tumhe bahut door ho tum mujhse.. usse baat karta hun na toh aankhein nam ho jaati hai sahi kaha tumne hum apna ghar samjhke aaye they lekin yahan toh hum bas mehmaan hai.. humne kiya hi kya hai unke liye? Yunhi kaabil ban gaye dono. Humne toh kuch kiya nahi na. Uss raat bahut yaad aayi tumhari jab Deep ne ye sab kaha... intezar hai tumse milne ka... jaise ek mahina guzra baaki ke din bhi kat hi jayenge.. Bacho ka pyar paane aaye they lekin apna hi pyaar kho baithe. Lekin tum apna khayal rakhna. Hum jaldi milenge. "

Tears slipped down her eyes, she thought something and moves out.

"mithi zara apna phone dena Aarav ko call karna hai" Ruhana said.

Mithi looked at her and said "mummyji international call pe bahut roaming lagta hai.. aur itna balance nhi hai mere phone mein.."

"bas ek minute.." Ruhana said.

"sorry mummyji.. mujhe abhi nikalna hai kaam se" she said and left the house.

Ruhana sighed.. 

To be continued.